Building Survives in St. Louis’ Hyde Park

On January 20, 1904, George J. Wanstrath, the President of the St. Louis Real Estate Company, sold a couple of two-family flats and the former Schwartz home to a publishing collector named William Westendorf. Westendorf was purchasing the property as an investment. The two flats were at 3724 and 3726 N. Florissant Avenue (plain Florissant Avenue at the time). The Schwartz home was 3728 N. Florissant Avenue.

If Westendorf lived at the properties, he would likely have lived in the 10 room house at 3728 N. Florissant Avenue. This building is still standing and in great condition in the Hyde Park neighborhood. The building was briefly vacant in 1991 but appears to have been occupied for most of its existence. Occupancy is critical to saving many St. Louis buildings. The house was built in 1899.

3728 N. Florissant Avenue – Courtesy of Geo St. Louis

The flats at 3724 and 3726 N. Florissant Avenue did not survive. At some point, probably in the last 20 years, these building were torn down. Instead of lamenting the loss of these two buildings, I’m grateful for the survival of such a beautiful brick building.

William Westendorf was 59 years old when he purchased the three properties. When he passed away in 1928, he was 83 years old and living at 3451 Montana Street in South St. Louis. The 115 year old building he purchased in 1904 is still standing strong.